Author Topic: Any Telescope Geeks in the Building? (Read 583 times)

JCLerch · « **Reply #15 on:** February 20, 2005, 03:06:25 PM »

First, interesting avatard there 88

Quote

Originally posted by JB88
lerch,

one example is a telescope which forks into two opposite directions. (looks like a "Y"). i am currently working out the schematics to make it work in such a way that two viewpoints will actually be visible when looking through the lens. (mirrors)

Very interested, post what ya got!

Quote

i have thought it would be interesting to build my own functional telescope as a byproduct of the project.

one of the hard parts is going to be to find the right lens' i think.

anyways, i am very interested in the subject.

88 [/B]

Perhaps you should stop thinking of Lenses and start thinging of Mirrors, they are much easier to make at home. I made both the primary mirrors in my Bino-Scope, and to date I've made about 14 variously sized parabolic primary mirrors for different projects.

Check out my web-site which details my first adventerus

JB88 · « **Reply #16 on:** February 20, 2005, 03:10:53 PM »

whatever nuke.

lerch, if you feel hijacked, i apologize.

nuke, please re-read the rule about backseat moderating and try to expand your worldview enough to allow others to speak on subjects for which that have a passion. (without your consistant attempts at ineffective though wishfully pernicious assails) thanks.

btw. anyone know where i can find a variety of lenses cheap?

so far i have had to rob scrapyards and various other houses of refuse.

JB88 · « **Reply #17 on:** February 20, 2005, 03:13:36 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by JCLerch
First, interesting avatard there 88

Very interested, post what ya got!

Perhaps you should stop thinking of Lenses and start thinging of Mirrors, they are much easier to make at home. I made both the primary mirrors in my Bino-Scope, and to date I've made about 14 variously sized parabolic primary mirrors for different projects.

Check out my web-site which details my first adventerus

UH oh. BUSTED! LOL!

EXCELLENT! shall do.

the problem that i am seeing is that (for the artwork) i am seeking a traditional form in its construction. I.E. when one sees the object, there is no question that it is a telescope.

how would mirrors come into play in this case...and how do they work in that manner...are they concave or convex relative to the magnification desired?

OIO · « **Reply #18 on:** February 20, 2005, 03:50:33 PM »

I dont build em but I own a 6 inch refractor scope.

Meade LXD55 AR-6 Autostar.

Awesome views of the moon and the planets... and ive taken a few pictures of nebulae and stars but so far have been disasters since I cant get my auto-tracking mount to track well... im a noob when it comes to aligning that damn mount.

bunch · « **Reply #19 on:** February 21, 2005, 04:23:10 AM »

Looks like some high class glass you have there (so does the big Takahashi). I've seen some of my favorite objects in larger telescopes (I'm partial to planetary nebulae - dont miss NGC 40. It is not on many lists of good things to look at, but is very nice, high surface brightness, like most planetaries, but unlike any others I've seen, its red), but never in binocular. Does it add a lot to the viewing experience?
With that eyepiece placement, do you have any trouble with you body heat disturbing the seeing?

lasersailor184 · « **Reply #20 on:** February 21, 2005, 07:27:52 AM »

Well lerch, I sort of own a telescope...

It hasn't been out of the box for 5 years though...

GrimCO · « **Reply #21 on:** February 21, 2005, 11:37:31 AM »

Hey there Lerch,

Been heavily into astronomy for about 20 years now. I have an 8" Celestron on a Polaris German Equatorial mount. Gone through the Messier objects and have them all checked off :-)

I never use the autoguider though. I like to find things myself instead of just pushing a button and letting my telescope find it automatically.

It's a great hobby!

Grimmy

JCLerch · « **Reply #22 on:** February 21, 2005, 02:29:03 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by ChickenHawk
I have a 90mm Meade but haven't been real serious about it. I've looked into building a dobsinion mount scope but the tracking hardware looks quite complicated and expensive. How do you track for photographs with your scope?

This particular scope isn't setup for astro photography, but making it do so woulnd't be that difficult. The easiest method of tracking is Mel Bartel's scope drive system. If your handy with electronics, you can build the system for next to nothing (my first used old stepper motors from dead laser printers, and salvaged electronics from a couple of dead car stereo amps)

Mel's site is a pretty good read if your interested.

http://www.bbastrodesigns.com/cot/cot.html

Quote

Originally posted by ChickenHawk
I've heard some people do it by hand but I can't imagine how that would be very acurate. Thats a beautiful scope by the way. I can tell you put a lot of work into it.

Tracking by hand / eye is a thing of the past. I don't know of anyone that does that anymore..

JCLerch · « **Reply #23 on:** February 21, 2005, 02:32:30 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by OIO
I dont build em but I own a 6 inch refractor scope.

Meade LXD55 AR-6 Autostar.

Awesome views of the moon and the planets... and ive taken a few pictures of nebulae and stars but so far have been disasters since I cant get my auto-tracking mount to track well... im a noob when it comes to aligning that damn mount.

Way Cool! Have you heard that you can use a standard web-cam to take digital photos of the moon and planets? If not check this out:

http://www.pk3.host.sk/Astro/index.htm?astrophoto_vesta_sc_mod.htm

http://webcaddy.com.au/astro/adapter.htm

JCLerch · « **Reply #24 on:** February 21, 2005, 02:42:34 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by bunch
Looks like some high class glass you have there (so does the big Takahashi).

Yes, the Takahashi owner just got that RC scope PLUS an 8" Takahashi refractor to go with it :0

Quote

Originally posted by bunch
I've seen some of my favorite objects in larger telescopes (I'm partial to planetary nebulae - dont miss NGC 40. It is not on many lists of good things to look at, but is very nice, high surface brightness, like most planetaries, but unlike any others I've seen, its red), but never in binocular. Does it add a lot to the viewing experience?

I think so, Al Nagler (as in Tele Vue) looked at Omega Centari, got up and excitedly said "Bob as got to see this! Would it be ok if I went and got him?"

Also, many experianced observers commented on how incredibly detailed and 3D appearing the Orion Nebula looked. So many kind and remarkable things were said, it rapidly approached the point of being somewhat embarassing.

Quote

Originally posted by bunch
With that eyepiece placement, do you have any trouble with you body heat disturbing the seeing?

I have not noticed any, but all my viewing is done down here in central Florida where ambient is often very nearly equal to body temp

However, Dave Moorehouse in New Zealand said that on cold nights, he has to use a shroud around his 16" Bino-scope truss tubes when viewing at higher powers, otherwise he can see some body heat distorting the image.

OIO · « **Reply #25 on:** February 21, 2005, 04:43:45 PM »

yeah ive read about em lerch.

Problem is, you have to seriously modify webcams and whatnot. Im not a mechanical wiz.

I prefer this puppy:

http://www.optcorp.com/product.aspx?pid=319-320-323-2474

The SAC cameras have gotten stellar reviews in many websites ive seen. the latest is this one..at $300 it may be pricy, but the earlier models are under 200.

its what im saving up for ^^

ChickenHawk · « **Reply #26 on:** February 21, 2005, 05:45:42 PM »

Great link Lerch, thanks.

bunch · « **Reply #27 on:** February 22, 2005, 03:36:04 AM »

If you've impressed Al Nagler, you've impressed someone who knows about quality views. I've never looked in binoculars more than 100mm & that was impressive. Globular clusters through big scopes are a real favorite of mine, they have such incredible texture. Nothing else looks like that....here is another of my favorite objects - NGC 2158, the massive open cluster behind M 35